Weather Topic: What is Graupel?

Graupel is a form of precipitation that is created by atmospheric conditions which cause supercooled water
droplets to contact snow crystals and freeze to their surface.

Sometimes known as soft hail or snow pellets,
graupel is delicate and easily destroyed by touch. Whereas hail usually falls during severe weather, graupel
doesn't require such conditions to form, and can form in mild precipitation similar to situations which produce snowfall.

Weather Topic: What is Precipitation?

Precipitation can refer to many different forms of water that may fall from clouds. Precipitation occurs after a cloud has
become saturated to the point where its water particles are more dense than the air below the cloud.

In most cases, precipitation will reach the ground, but it is not uncommon for precipitation to evaporate before it reaches the earth's
surface. When precipitation evaporates before it contacts the ground it is called Virga. Graupel, hail, sleet, rain, drizzle,
and snow are forms of precipitation, but fog and mist are not considered precipitation because the water vapor which
constitutes them isn't dense enough to fall to the ground.